Treating Cancer with Radiation Therapy

When it comes to fighting cancer, there is more than one treatment option.  In fact, there are many types of treatment and advances in cancer treatment are happening every day. 

The types of treatment that you have will depend on the type of cancer you have and how advanced it is.  Some people with cancer will have only one treatment, but most people have a combination of treatments, such as surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.  You may also have immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or hormone therapy. 

At the Cancer Treatment Center at Hazleton, we use radiation therapy in the fight against cancer.  Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.  Radiation is energy that’s carried by waves or a stream of particles and it works by damaging the genes (DNA) in cells.  Genes control how cells grow and divide, and when radiation damages the genes of cancer cells, they can’t grow and divide any more.  Over time, the cancerous cells die.  

At our center we treat early-stage, recurring and advanced cancer using a linear accelerator (LINAC), an advanced technology that generates high-energy X-ray beams.  The LINAC is equipped with an imaging system that precisely targets the tumor while delivering radiation, destroying cancer cells and minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.  There is no surgery involved and treatment sessions are quick and painless. 

We offer several types of radiation therapy designed to treat all forms and stages of cancer, including: 

• External beam radiation therapy (EBRT)
• Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
• 3-D conformal therapy
• Image guided radiation therapy (IGRT)
• Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT)
• Brachytherapy 

In addition to the treatments being nonsurgical and pain-free, there are several additional benefits to radiation therapy, such as minimal side effects, little to no recovery time, immediate return to daily activities, etc.  Radiation therapy may also be an option for patients who have medically inoperable tumors or a high risk of developing complications after surgery.  

The Cancer Treatment Center at Hazleton has been fighting cancer for over 30 years.  From a leased space in a former high school to a dedicated office with six different types of radiation therapy treatments, the Cancer Treatment Center at Hazleton has taken care of generations of cancer patients. 

Over the years, the Cancer Treatment Center at Hazleton has had many milestones along its journey.  In October 2012, the center relocated to its current location at 1701 East Broad Street.  The new, larger space came with upgraded equipment and newer technology.  In 2014, the center offered space to the American Cancer Society, who now has their resource center on site.  

The Cancer Treatment Center at Hazleton has treated nearly 6000 patients since opening in June of 1986.  We are proud to have been a part of the greater Hazleton area for so long and look forward to many more years of serving the patients in our community.